Chapter 1040 — Self-Willed and Deaf to Counsel

On the contrary, at such a time, killing Venerable Mu and claiming the merit would best serve my profit. " Yan'er's heart went cold.

She had always held her father, the Eastern Emperor, in the highest esteem. Though the Eastern Emperor was cold to her, in her heart she had taken him for a great hero.

But now that she had truly come into contact with the Eastern Emperor, the father in her heart collapsed in an instant, leaving her both terrified and unable to accept it. Shen Mu admired the scenery of the Azure Dragon Heavenly Palace, his gaze coming to rest on the Jade Pool in the palace, and he smiled.

"Eastern Emperor, do you still remember what happened on the ghost ship? " The Azure Dragon Heavenly Palace had a Jade Pool of its own, and the water in it seemed more sacred even than the water of the Heavenly Court's Jade Pool.

This Jade Pool brimmed with vitality. Shen Mu was well versed in the healing arts, and a single glance told him that the Eastern Emperor's sacred water was no small thing — it could bring the dead to life and restore bone from flesh, its medicinal power exceeding even Long Qilin's dragon saliva. The water of the Jade Pool also held a strange energy, one that could heal souls and primal spirits.

Clearly, the Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon was not so simple as he appeared on the surface.

The heaven-and-earth treasures here were even more numerous than those of the Earth Mother Primordial Sovereign — this Jade Pool, this Lingbao Mountain, were all exceedingly rare treasures! The Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon nodded. "Naturally I remember.

Venerable Mu helped us Four Emperors break free, but without the Four Emperors lending you our magic power, you could not have escaped either. So in escaping the ghost ship we each used the other; neither owes the other anything. And as for debts of gratitude — do not forget, when you went alone into the Heavenly Court, it was we ancient gods who preserved your life, and I lent a hand in it. " Shen Mu drew his gaze back from the Jade Pool and frowned. "How does the Eastern Emperor wish to test me?

" "Without Tian Gong and Tu Bo to lend you strength, how will you resurrect anyone? That is what I mean to test.

" The Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon said: "Beyond that, I must know whether, if most of the ancient gods are slain in battle, you have the strength to protect yourself. These two tests: the first tests your ability.

Borrowed strength is never your own. When there is no strength to borrow, you are still the Great Mage — that is why we ancient gods support you without reservation. " "As for the second test, it is to see your potential for growth. In the worst case, if you cannot even protect yourself, then the Heavenly Court need only kill you to cut off our ancient gods' last road. Therefore I must see whether Venerable Mu is worthy of the title Venerable, and whether he is worth my staking my fortune and my life on him.

" Shen Mu nodded. "I understand. " The Eastern Emperor smiled, snapped his fingers lightly, and a painted pleasure boat drifted over the Jade Pool. On the boat, a god with a dragon's head and a man's body bowed and said: "Father God. " At the Eastern Emperor's invitation, Shen Mu led Long Qilin and Yan'er aboard, and the boat drifted toward the center of the Jade Pool.

Yan'er was listless and dejected.

She had not taken human form, nor had she become a dragon finch; she remained a small green finch perched atop Long Qilin's brow. The Eastern Emperor summoned the dragon god who steered the boat.

That dragon god said: "What does Father God command? " The Eastern Emperor flicked a finger, and a thunderclap burst in the dragon god's mind, shattering his primal spirit to powder.

In an instant his soul scattered, and his spirit fled away as dark sand. A blank look came into the dragon god's eyes.

His corpse swayed and toppled.

Shen Mu's eye twitched. Yan'er leapt up, startled and furious, and cried sharply: "He was your son! How could you kill him?

Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs — you.

. . " The Eastern Emperor glanced at her and frowned.

With strained patience he said: "Venerable Mu, discipline that little finch of yours. Though I admire you greatly, I need not indulge your household servants. " Shen Mu shook his head.

"This is Yan'er. She is not my servant, but a disciple of Venerable Yue.

" The Eastern Emperor's expression eased somewhat. "So she is a disciple of Venerable Yue. Very well, I will not hold it against her. But even Venerable Yue, before me, must show a measure of respect and address me as His Majesty the Eastern Emperor.

You had best not be too unbridled. " Yan'er was about to speak again. Shen Mu raised a hand and said with a smile: "Sister Yan'er, say no more. Eastern Emperor, if you wish to see my methods, why not seek out one of the souls scattered on Lingbao Mountain?

On Lingbao Mountain, no few gods, demons, and power-wielders have died in the search for treasure. Why kill your own son? " The Eastern Emperor sneered: "The gods, demons, and power-wielders who died on Lingbao Mountain are all the Heavenly Court's people.

Reviving them would expose your true methods, and that I dare not risk.

" Shen Mu frowned slightly. "Then revive him and kill him again.

" The Eastern Emperor stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I trust no outsider — not even my own sons and daughters can I wholly trust. Say no more, Venerable Mu.

Please. " Shen Mu frowned again.

The Eastern Emperor was obstinate and self-willed, possessed by a fierce desire to control.

To deal with such a man was deeply uncomfortable.

When he had first arrived here, he had not been able to keep from taking a liking to the Eastern Emperor; but that liking had been slowly worn away as he came to know the man better. The Azure Emperor of the Eastern Heaven loathed the Eastern Emperor Azure Dragon with a bitter hatred as well, which showed that the Eastern Emperor's character was not good. Shen Mu steadied himself and looked at the dragon god's corpse on the boat.

This dragon god's soul had scattered.

To summon the soul back did not require borrowing the strength of Tian Gong and Tu Bo, but to reshape this dragon god's soul, that would require borrowing the strength of Tian Gong and Tu Bo. Without the strength of Tian Gong and the strength of Tu Bo, he had no full confidence. "In these years I have studied Tian Gong's Forty-Nine Heavenly Daos and Tu Bo's sixty-four Great Daos of Youdu, and in my Primal Embryo spirit treasury the divine forms of Tian Gong, Tu Bo, and even the Earth Mother have taken shape. By rights, I have already grasped their power.

Only.

. . " Shen Mu sensed the killing intent coming off the Eastern Emperor, growing ever thicker.

The Eastern Emperor was so obstinate and self-willed that, if he could not raise this dragon god from death, the Eastern Emperor would surely slay him then and there, carry off his head and imprison his soul, and go to the Heavenly Court's Ten Venerables to claim merit and reward! In the past, for the sake of Tu Bo and Tian Gong, he had borne a good deal of goodwill toward the ancient gods; now it seemed that this was wishful thinking on his part.

The Eastern Emperor's narrow eyes lifted. He coughed, and was about to urge him on, when Shen Mu had already stirred the Soul-Drawing Art and called back the scattered soul-sand of that dragon god!